Typical attack repellant devices are revealed in prior art U.S. Pat. Nos., 5,476,192, 5,439,301, and 5,503,304. These patents utilize pressurized cylinders of gas for the propulsive force. Gas may be carbon dioxide, Freon, compressed air, and the like.
This invention generally relates to a type of self-defense device for use by an intended victim of a robbery or other form of physical attack, wherein the intended victim protects himself by expelling a spray or stream of incapacitating or disabling material that is directed at the attacker, dissuading him from his mission. Violent crimes are most often committed against persons who are in isolated locations, but some perpetrators are sufficiently bold to attack victims on the street, in broad daylight. The majority of potential victims, include but are not limited to: joggers, shoppers, people who are approaching their vehicles in a parking lot, those leaving work at night, and those stopping to make a telephone call from a call box, those persons who are alone in an elevator, victims of car-napping, and the like. Experience has shown that the majority of such victims are women.
Fear of attack may cause people to believe themselves to be in jeopardy and a reliable protection device creates a sense of security. Personal audible alarms have proven to be ineffective, and they generally do not scare away an attacker, nor do they serve to summon help. The self defense device described herein is intended to fulfill the need for personal protection, without an audible alarm.
The class of safety devices in this category are typically spray devices which expel pepper or other incapacitating or disabling material. The irritating or disabling material, (hereinafter referred to as the "irritant") may be in either powder form or in solution. Powders have been used, but they can be misdirected by the prevailing wind. Irritants in solution are therefore the preferred methodology, however, powders will work in the instant invention. Powder operation will require separate valves distinct from those used with liquid materials, and accordingly, the same invention may be manufactured with either irritant, and including appropriate replacement of the nozzle orifice. The liquid irritant performs better than the powder, and is the preferred form of this invention. The liquid form of the irritant represents the best mode of the invention.
It is also known that some prior art systems have used a dye substance as well as a disabling substance to help the police identify the perpetrator. These devices have been used as a means of personal protection, and usually embody one or a plurality of gas canisters with the propellant gas under pressure. Gasses such as carbon dioxide and Freon have been used with varying degrees of success. The propellant gas is contained in a pressurized canister. In order to use the device, a valve must be depressed in order to release the gas contained in the canister, and thus initiate a discharge.
The exact amount of gas that is released under these conditions is never known, as the released gas is not metered. Other embodiments combine the irritant within the pressurized container along with the propellant, whereas still other embodiments use the pressurized gas solely as a propellant. Some systems mix and add the irritant before the exit nozzle or orifice is reached. The purpose of the of the compressed gas is to propel the disabling material toward the perpetrator. The irritant is designed to be non-fatal.
Disguise has been considered to be an important element in the design of prior inventions of this class. The prevalent belief was that the attacker should not be aware that his victim is armed, so that he is not directed toward removing the safety device from the victim prior to or during initiating his attack.
Some attackers, not knowing the true status of the carried object, will immediately attempt to grasp the carried object, no matter what it is. Inventions of earlier prior art have included disguises in their patents. Simulated telephone pagers, women's compacts, pocket calculators, transistor radios, and the like.
Although the instant invention may be included in simulated products, The invention described herein may also be included in a non-simulated, working, pager or a functional transistor radio, a fully functional camera with flash, and the like, thus providing both protection and actual usefulness. This invention also recognizes that whereas disguised devices of this sort are prevalent, such disguises are not necessary, and accordingly, the instant invention can be produced for protection only, without any fancy packaging. It has been found that these personal protection devices, even without any disguise, can provide the same sense of security as the disguised devices.
Often, the process of disguise, and the resulting packaging restrictions result in extra cost to the product, and forces compromises in the device utility and design. In many cases, the perpertrator is aware that the intended victim is carrying a form of personal protection, and rather than risk exposure thereto, he will seek a different victim. In this invention, the non-disguised personal safety device represents the best mode.